Bill-file.



No. 760,931. PATENTED MAY 24, 1904.

' B SMITH.

BILL FILE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Patented May 24, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDMOND SMITH, OF CROWLEY, LOUISIANA.

BlLL-FlLf-I.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,931, dated May 24, 1904.

Application filed July 27, 1903. Serial No. 167,159. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMOND SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Crowley, in the parish of Acadia, State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bill-Files; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to bill-files; and it has for its object to provide a file of that class wherein the bill or other paper is clamped instead of being perforated, the object of the invention being to provide a construction which will be cheap and simple of manufacture, which will hold a number of sheets securely, and which may release the sheets.

A further object of the invention is to 'provide a construction which may be used for a variety of purposes and in the use of which the paper will not be injured.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in both views, Figure 1 is a plan view of a bill-file embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken longitudinally through the bill- Referring now to the drawings, the present file comprises a base 5 in the form of a flat board, upon which are secured the parallel blocks 6 and 7, which extend longitudinally of the base and are attached adjacent to one end thereof, which for convenience of description may be termed the upper end of the board or base. In the lower end portions of the blocks 6 and 7 are formed transverselyalining perforations 8 and 9, inwhich are engaged the ends of a bar 10, which is held parallel with and in spaced relation to the upper face of the board or base.

Midway of the ends of the bar or shaft 10 is disposed a clamping-lever 11, which is'secured to the shaft by means of a U-shaped clip 12, which is passed around the under side of the shaft and has its ends engaged upwardly through the lever 11 and riveted thereupon,

be easily operated to the lever in this manner being held fixedly to the shaft.

A spring-wire is bent into U shape, and. the

bight portion 13 thereof is disposed transversely of the lever 11 at a point below the shaft 10, the sides of the wire being then coiled about the shaft 10 to form the helical springs 14 and 15. The ends of the wire are passed above and beyond the shaft 10 and are bent laterally in opposite directions and engage in perforations 16 and 17 in the blocks 6 and 7 at points above the shaft 10. The

A bill-file consisting of a flat base, spaced blocks fixed to one end portion of the base and extending longitudinally thereof in spaced relation, a shaft journaled in the blocks, a clamping-lever fixed transversely of the shaft and projecting at both sides thereof, said blocks having transverse perforations at one side of the shaft, and a U-shaped spring-wire having itsbight portion disposed transversely of and upon the lever at the opposite side of the shaft from said perforations and having its sides 'wound upon the shaft at opposite sides of the lever, the extremities of the wire being bent laterally and engaged in said perforations of the blocks, the sides of the wire adjacent to the laterally-turned end portions resting against the inner faces of the blocks and the bight portion of the wire embracing the lever, whereby the shaft is held yieldably against longitudinal movement from its bearings.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses. v

EDMOND SMITH. Witnesses: I ALIoE J ERMONVILLE,

' M. P. WALKER. 

